Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA)
If your child is deaf and a higher education student, or planning to be a student, they might be able to claim Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA).
How DSA can be used
DSA is funded through the devolved governments. Who can receive DSA is different between England and the rest of the UK. Current students can use DSA for:
Non-medical support
- interpreters
- notetakers (covered by DSA in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales only)
- specialist notetakers
- electronic notetakers
- speech-to-text reporter
Specialist equipment
- radio aids
- specialised computers and software
- printers and scanners
General/other expenditure
- photocopying
- additional study related travel costs incurred due to a disability.
How a notetaker can help
Some deaf students will need to lip-read a lecturer or teacher or watch a British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter in order to follow a lecture or class. Doing this as well as writing notes is very difficult.
A notetaker will write notes for a deaf student. This is to make sure that a deaf student can access the lecture or class and leave with the information they need for revision or further study.
What DSA doesn't cover
For students applying for DSA from Student Finance England, DSA will not normally be available for:
- manual notetakers (notetakers without specialist training to provide notes for deaf students are not covered by DSA in England)
- proofreaders
- transcription services
- alert systems for accommodation owned or managed by a higher education provider.
Higher education providers will be expected to cover the costs of the above types of support. If it has been identified within your child’s needs assessment that they need support that cannot be funded through DSA, your child should contact the disability officer of the institution(s) they have applied to attend to check that the required support will be put in place.
If your child’s choice of institution will not provide the support outlined in the DSA needs assessment, contact our Helpline for further guidance on the next steps your child could take.
Who can apply
Your child can apply for DSA if they are:
- eligible for student finance in the UK, and
- on a full-time course that lasts at least one year (including a distance learning course), or
- on a part-time course that lasts at least one year and does not take more than twice as long to complete as an equivalent full-time course (including a distance learning course), or
- on a postgraduate course that is run at a private institution and has been specifically designated to receive DSA funding only.
DSA is not means tested, so it doesn’t matter how much money you or your child has. Any other benefits they get will also not be affected by DSA. Your child should be able to get DSA even if they can't get a full student loan or help with fees. DSA claims can take a few months so it's worth applying as early as possible.
How to claim
The way your child needs to apply for DSA varies depending on whether they live and study in England, Scotland, Northern Ireland or Wales, but they'll need to fill in an application form.
Your child will also need to have a needs assessment. The assessment identifies what extra study-related needs your child has due to their disability. A fee is charged for the assessment but this is paid for through DSA, even if the DSA assessor identifies that no support is required.
In England and Wales DSA assessments and the provision of equipment, such as radio aids, are organised by Capita or Study Tech. This depends on the area your child will live and study in. In Scotland and Northern Ireland your child can choose their assessment provider. These are often located at the university they are attending.
Students in England
Students in Scotland
Contact the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS).
Students in Northern Ireland
Contact Student Finance Northern Ireland.
Students in Wales
Contact Student Finance Wales - in Welsh or in English.
Higher education providers will normally book and pay for student support and then claim DSA directly from the funding body. This arrangement means your child will not have to manage the financial administration involved.
Bethany’s experience
“I filled out the application myself but my Teacher of the Deaf (ToD) and audiologists provided me with supporting documents – a copy of my audiogram and letters from the audiologists and ToD entailing the support I currently have and what I need at university.
“The DSA assessment took roughly two and a half hours. It’s a chance to discuss with the assessor what support you currently have and to hear their suggestions about the support you could get at university.
“My top tip is to make a list of the support that you’d like at university with your reasons before going to the assessment. When I said that I’d like British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters for the days my implants failed, the assessor said that I'd be better with a Communication Support Worker (CSW). But I argued that interpreters have a higher level of signing and lectures flow more smoothly with them.
“I also knew I wanted someone to proofread my work at university, so I asked for a proofreader. However, the assessor suggested that I have a Language Support Tutor (similar to a ToD) because they could help me prepare for presentations etc., whereas a proofreader wouldn’t do that.
“After the meeting, the assessor typed up a forty page document which was sent to me for approval. I agreed with everything in the document and it was sent to the Student Finance England (SFE) funding body for DSA support. After SFE approved it, another document was sent to me and my university about how many hours or funding I’d get.
“In terms of equipment (in my case a radio aid and laptop), I had to contact the supplier that SFE wanted me to buy from and they sent it to me directly. Non-medical support (i.e. BSL interpreters, manual/electronic note-taking) was organised by the university. I have to organise this support half a term ahead of my timetable, stating which seminar/lecture/workshop I need support with.”